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Today, bail was denied for three of the hunger strikers, as well another prisoner, all of whom are accused of taking part in the action against RAF Brize Norton, where two British military planes were painted red, to prevent their use in the Gaza genocide. Another hunger striker, Qesser Zuhrah, was also denied bail when her lawyers submitted an emergency application for bail due to her being hospitalised overnight.

The hunger strike, which involves eight prisoners for Palestine, is now on day 40. They are in the danger zone, where irreparable harm is likely, and their health
becomes critical. Each of them are accused of destroying the tools and weapons used to massacre the Palestinian people. For acting to stop a genocide, the state has locked them away for up to two years before they’re even afforded their right to a trial.

Even when their trial comes around, it will not be fair if their demands are not met. We know that crucial evidence which shows foreign and political interference in their cases is being redacted, evidence which clearly demonstrates an abuse of process.

Left with no other option to seek justice, the hunger strikers are using their bodies as a way to continue their resistance. Under the ‘duty of care’ of the state, they are coming physically weaker each day and David Lammy
has failed to bother responding to calls for a meeting with the legal representative of the hunger strikers.

This is an emergency. So far, as supporters of the strikes, we have appealed to the government, lobbied politicians, protested repeatedly, called the prisons and sent thousands of emails. They have ignored us. Now, it’s time to escalate.

It’s time to take inspiration from the prisoners themselves, and take direct action against the companies and institutions complicit in genocide. It’s time to hold to account the institutions responsible for imprisoning those who resist genocide.
Today, friends of hunger striker Amu Gib shut down the Ministry of Justice. Others blockaded the Kent factory of Israeli weapons firm Elbit Systems and just last night, protestors stormed the BBC headquarters. This is only the beginning of the escalation.

Our prisoners led the way, they sacrificed their liberty and they’ve sacrificed their health. Now it’s time to shut down all those complicit with the genocide, and with the repression of those who act against.

Eight British prisoners, all being held on remand for allegedly taking action in
solidarity with Palestine, are on an open-ended hunger strike that began on 2nd
November.

This is the biggest coordinated prison hunger strike in UK history since
the 1981 H-Block strike in the North of Ireland. Five strikers have been hospitalised
thus far. Two have not eaten for 39 days. Their demands pertain both to their own cases (end to censorship of communications, immediate bail, and ensuring the right to a fair trial), to the wider repression of Palestine solidarity protestors in Britain, and to the UK’s participation in genocide in Gaza.
The Labour government is yet to respond to their demands, communicated in writing prior to the start of the strike on 20th October, or to publicly acknowledge the strike.

In total, there have been seven hospitalisations: Kamran Ahmed and Heba Muraisi have been admitted twice. All have lost a significant percentage of their body weight. They are reaching a critical stage, as noted by medical professionals including Dr James Smith, NHS emergency Doctor (as reported in
The Observer, Sunday 7th December). Campaigners are calling on Justice Secretary David Lammy to urgently meet with representatives of the hunger strikers urgently.

Motion Ali, Zarah Sultana, and Jeremy Corbyn have both met with prisoners at Sodexo run Bronzefield Women’s Prison. Nida Jafri, loved one of Amu Gib says: “We are worried sick. David Lammy is a coward. We cannot understand why Lammy is pretending he doesn’t know about this. His own constituents have written asking him to respond and have shown up outside his office – and he has run away from them. The strikers need immediate bail, and the UK needs to address its ongoing complicity in genocide through its partnership with Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer”.

Public concern and cross-party political support for the strikers is growing. An open letter calling on Lammy to respond has gathered over 5,288 signatures.
The Green Party’s leaders and MPs have written publicly to Lammy.

Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn requested a meeting over a month ago.
Both have spoken publicly on this. Labour MP John McDonnell has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for discussion of the hunger strikers’ demands; it now holds 40 MPs’ signatures, from across Labour, The Green
Party, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and Your Party.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and several other UK Palestine solidarity and human rights groups have expressed support for the strikers. A bail hearing will be held Friday 12th December at the Old Bailey for hunger strikers Amu Gib, Jon Cink and Lewie Chiaramello. All are due to be held in prison for up to 18
months before their trial.

On Thursday 4th December, 22-year-old Muhammad Umer Khalid announced he will begin an open-ended hunger strike, joining the Prisoners for Palestine campaign. Umer is currently on remand at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, where he had been held without trial since 22nd August 2025.

This was allegedly in connection to the action at RAF Brize Norton on 20th June 2025, when a group of protesters broke into the air base and spray-painted two RAF Voyager planes. Police say the act caused an estimated £7m of damage. 

Umer, who is from Greater Manchester, becomes the seventh prisoner to join the national Prisoners for Palestine open-ended hunger strike. He has specified he is doing so to support the first three demands laid out in the campaign, namely an end to prison censorship, immediate bail, and the right to a fair trial. 

Like the other pro-Palestine prisoners, Umer has been targeted, often violently, by the prison authorities. His privacy has been violated, his access to books and visits restricted, he has been subjected to segregation on multiple occasions and has been refused permission to perform religious calls to prayers out loud. 

Despite three individuals now being hospitalised, and an additional eighth prisoner who is diabetic, Lewie Chiaramello, joining in a partial hunger strike with serious health implications, the government has yet to respond to or engage in negotiations with Prisoners for Palestine. As some of the hunger strikers enter their fifth week, there has so far been no acknowledgement of three official letters sent separately to the government. 

This week, Prisoners for Palestine met with John McDonnell MP alongside family members of the hunger strikers at the Houses of Parliament to discuss the severity of their cases, and to see what more could be done to encourage dialogue between the government and the campaign group. John McDonnell stated he was “really worried about their lives” in an interview about the hunger strikers with The Canary news outlet. 

Doctor James Smith, one of the many medical professionals who signed an open letter to the Health and Justice commission to the NHS, states:

“Six prisoners have been on hunger strike for between 25 and 33 days. The health of all of the political prisoners has deteriorated rapidly in recent days, and 3 have been hospitalised in serious conditions. It is clear they are not receiving even the minimum standard of care required for people on hunger strike in prison. All six require immediate and comprehensive medical care, and political intervention to protect their human rights.”

OPERATION RE-COMPLY is the documentary about activists currently imprisoned on remand (held without trial), for taking direct action to dismantle weapons at Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms factory in Bristol, as part of the now-proscribed group Palestine Action. This film tells the story of their families, their fight for justice, and the movement that’s grown with them.

After 16 months in prison, six of the Filton 24 are finally going on trial, while others may have to wait two years before finally having their day in court. Their loved ones have had their worlds turned upside down. Violent house raids and arrests, brutal prison conditions, and for the families, a lingering uncertainty of not knowing when—if ever—their loved ones will be home.

OPERATION RE-COMPLY documents the govt’s response—in collusion with Israel— to crush the pro-Palestine movement. Harsh measures like labelling nonviolent activists as ‘terrorists’, and how their families continue to fight back with resilience and love as the state escalates its crackdown on basic human rights.

“When they ask why I did it, I tell them about the children… But I never forget to say: It was love, not hate, that called me.” – Zoe, 21; one of the Filton 24

In the film, strangers transform grief into a community bound by love, support, and resistance.  We’ve seen over 2,500 arrests—many of them pensioners—simply for holding cardboards signs in support of Palestine Action. This is not just a story about the Filton 24; it’s a story about the growing attack on democracy and human rights, as the state uses terrorism laws to criminalise peaceful protest and free speech.

The letter addresses the Health and Justice Commissioning Team NHS England

To Whom it May Concern within the Health and Justice Commissioning Team NHS England,

As medical professionals, we are writing to draw your urgent attention to the case of six individuals who have undertaken hunger strikes across prisons in Britain. The individuals concerned in this letter are:

• Qesser Zuhrah (Bronzefield Prison, on remand since 19th November 2024)
• Amu Gardiner-Gibson (Bronzefield Prison, on remand since July 3rd 2025)
• Jon Cink (Bronzefield Prison, on remand since July 3rd 2025)
• Heba Muraisi (New Hall Prison, on remand since 19th November 2024)
• Teuta Hoxha (Peterborough Prison, on remand since 19th November 2024)
• Kamran Ahmed (Pentonville Prison, on remand since 19th November 2024)

We have written separately to the Governor of each prison to highlight our serious concerns regarding their current hunger strikes – which for some, started on 2nd November 2025.

As well as the absence of appropriate safe medical management, to our knowledge these individuals have not yet received the necessary daily clinical monitoring required for patients refusing food and are at risk of sudden electrolyte disturbance, hypoglycaemia and cardiac arrest. In addition, some are already showing signs of this.

After speaking with family, our understanding is that several prisoners conducting hunger strikes have had low blood sugar, for significant periods of time, this constitutes a medical emergency and our understanding is that this is being managed incorrectly.

Many of the prisoners have experienced significant weight loss, including Amy who lost 5 kg within one week and Kamran who upon starting his hunger strike weighed 74 kg and now weighs 68 kg.

They face significant risk of re-feeding syndrome on discontinuation of fasting; managing this complex syndrome requires specialist medical oversight.

Most urgently, there is growing concern for Kamran Ahmed and Lewie Chiaramello. Kamran Ahmed’s health has deteriorated rapidly since 21st November, when he collapsed. On 23rd November, as a result of dangerously low blood sugar levels (3.2), indicating hypoglycemia, the prison administration called an ambulance. The paramedics refused to take him to hospital, claiming that there was nothing they could do for him while he continued to refuse food. On the same day, prison guards put food into his cell, ignoring their own advice on refeeding syndrome, in a blatant violation of their duty of care.

Another prisoner, Lewie Chiaramello (HMP Bristol) has announced that he will be fasting every other day despite being diabetic, a serious risk to his health. The situation has reached a level of urgency that requires the British government to enter into negotiations with the prisoners immediately, so the hunger strike can be ended safely.

As you are aware, the commissioning of prison healthcare has, since 2006, rested with NHS England Health & Justice. We therefore remind you of NHS England’s statutory responsibility to ensure that healthcare services provided within custodial environments are:

– Equivalent to community care (Healthcare Standards, PSI 6/2011);
 – Delivered in accordance with the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice and the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code;
 – Clinically independent, free from non-medical interference;
 – Sufficient to meet the obligations of the State under the Human Rights Act 1998 (Articles 2 and 3). We note that:
 – PSO 3050 (Management of Prisoners Refusing Food/Fluid) requires daily medical assessments, with hospital transfer where indicated;
 – PSI 64/2011 (Safer Custody) states that all agencies involved must act to protect life where identifiable risk exists.

Given that some of these prisoners are soon entering into their fourth week of hunger strike and is now at a critical stage, we insist that NHS England exercises its commissioning oversight to ensure that:

1. All hunger strikers receive immediate and ongoing medical review by suitably qualified clinicians, independent of prison operational staff.
 2. Appropriate hospital referral pathways are active, and transfer occurs if clinically indicated.
 3. NHS-commissioned healthcare staff are supported and protected in fulfilling their professional and statutory duty of care.
 4. A review is conducted without delay into whether current arrangements at HMP Peterborough, Pentonville, Bronzefield and New Hall meet NHS England’s commissioning standards. This situation risks imminent harm to their health and life. Failure to take immediate appropriate action would constitute a breach, not only of professional and commissioning standards, but also raise serious concerns of compliance with the United Kingdom’s human rights obligations. We would be grateful if you could acknowledge receipt of this letter urgently and clarify what urgent steps are being taken by NHS England to ensure that care at HMP Peterborough, HMP Bronzefield, and HMP Pentonville meets required standards.

We, the undersigned, demand that action is taken now to prevent further harm to the health of those that you have a duty of care towards.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Busra Nalbant, Gp
Dr Muhammad Quraishi,
 GP Miss Jennifer Wood, Midwife,
 Dr Jonathan Fluxman, Retired GP
 Dr Judith Atkinson, Retired GP
 Mrs Priti Chouhan, Accountant
 Mr Abdel Montasir, IG specialist
 Ms Joanne Mcewan, Specialist community public
 Dr Paul O’Brien, Associate Specialist
 Mr Roger Evans, Registered Nurse BsC Hons
 Jo Hindley, Retired Midwife
 Dr Molly Davey, Anaesthetist
 Dr Hugh Hathaway, Core trainee in psychiatry
 Mrs Zainah Dulloo, Pharmacist
 Dr Rana Najim, GP
 Dr Sabina Hashmy, GP
 Andee Vaughan, Registered Nurse BA, BSN, RN
 Dr Timothy Paris, Psychiatrist
 Mr Tanzeel Abid, Biomedical Scientist
 Dr Deen Mirza GP / MRCGP
 Dr Thanos Tsapas Consultant psychiatrist
 Dr Nadine Ebeid Psychiatry CT3
 Dr Silvia Yasuda Consultant
 Dr Harriet Crook Emergency Medicine Specialist
 Ms Jerina Begum
 Dr Asif Khapedi GPST2
 Dr Huda Mahmoud NHS Consultant
 Dr Foyzur Miah MBBS
 Ms Jenni Crisp NHS employee
 Farhaana Surti MBChB
 Dr Saleha Patel GP
 Dr Naomi Adelson GP
 Dr Rhiannon Mihranian Osborne Medical Doctor
 Dr Katharine Fallon MB ChB
 Dr David McKelvey Retired GP
 Dr Habib Rahman Consultant Cardiologist
 Dr Cate Bailey Consultant psychiatrist
 Dr Kathrin Thomas Retired GP
 Miss Ruqia Gill Registration Nurse
 Dr Clare Nickalls, MB Bch university hospital
 Marion Neffgen, NHS doctor
 Dr Ida Bakar Consultant in Rehabilitation
 Doctor Paula Mulvenna, Consultant Clinical Oncologist
 Dr Alice Clack, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
 Dr Mary Hewitt, Retired GP Dr Mary Madden, Anaesthetist
 Mr Jesse Fayle, RMN
 Dr John Puntis BM(Hons); DM; FRCP;FRCA
 Ms Amanda Makin, Retired nurse
 Mr Paul Chambers, Charity Co Founder
 Dr Miranda Penman Splitt, MBBS MD FRCP
 Dr Matthew Lumley, Consultant Haematologist
 Dr Daniel Hadley, MRCPsych
 Dr James Smith, Emergency Doctor & Lecturer
 Ms Mary Light Retired Nurse
 Dr Catherine Dyer, Retired
 Dr Richard Dyer, Retired GP
 Ms Clare Jones, Retired Nurse
 Dr Lisa Lobo MBBS
 Dr Catherine Dyer, Retired GP
 Mrs Patricia Rogers, Administration
 Dr Azhar Malik, Retired GP
 Dr Juliette Brown, Consultant
 Dr Anne Read, Retired consultant psychiatrist
 Mr Chris Waites, Dementia Specialist Clinical
 Mrs Khadijah Ismailjee, Pharmacist
 Michael Foulkes, Consultant Family Psychotherapist
 Dr Faiza Malik, MBBS
 Mr Roger Evans, Registered Nurse BsC Hons
 Mr Roger Evans, Registered Nurse BsC Hons Sarah Alam, GP
 Mrs Mubashshira Patel, Pharmacist
 Mrs Norma Wilson, Retired Counsellor
 Dr Imrana Siddiqui, GP
 Dr Samantha Perera, Consultant Psychiatrist
 Dr Abbas Tariq, GP
Charlotte Rose, Principal Psychological Therapist in Eating Disorders, Psychotherapist (UKCP), Mental Health Nurse (NMC)
Dr Danny Vincent, GP
Dr Roghieh Dehghan, Dr med univ
Mrs Fahima Shubarna, Senior Healthcare Assistant
Dr Zein Toukan, GP
Sara Rabhi, General practitioner
Mr David Drake, MB ChB (Hons) MSc MRCS
Dr Athif Ilyas, MBBS BSc (Hons) PGDip (Oxon) AICSM MRCPysch
Dr Victoria Holt, MRCGP
Dr Romola Pocock, GP
Dr S Dar, Doctor
Dr Khalid Aziz, Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Shahan Nizar, Consultant,
Omer Duqeh, Executive Director of Operations
Dr Sara Akhazzan, Resident Doctor
Dr Harshana Sangtani, Doctor
Ms Angela Taylor, Specialist Renal Counsellor
Mr Albert Nti, Registered nurse
Ms Dilly de-Ville, Retired Midwife
Miss María Valero, Hca
Mrs Carol Dean, Admin
Dr Rukyya Hassan. Consultant psychiatrist
Dr Hossam El Sheik, Consultant Gynaecologist
Dr Tennyson Lee, Consultant Psychiatrist
Mr. Andrew Keen, Data Manager/analyst
Rufus George, Deputy Nurse Manager
Dr Abrar Mohamed Mahmoud, Doctor
Mr Wail Afandi, Hospital Doctor
Mr Hussein Khambalia, Consultant Surgeon
Helen Green, Midwife
Dr. Abeer Omar, Professor
Ms Siobhan Hier, Retired health visitor
Dr Ahmad Dowedar, Consultant
Dr Adnan Siddiqui, GP partner MRCGP
Dr Musaad Qurash, Consultant
Dr Danielle James Gayle, Doctor
Dr Faiza Hassan, MBCHb MRCGP
Linnéa Freear, Clinical Scientist
Dr Winona Martell-Brown, Doctor
Dr Nadhya Qureshi, FRCA
Dr Amina Rawat, Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Lamisha Patel, MBChB MRCGP
Dr Fozia Suleman, MBChB MRCGP